1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital photographing apparatus, and more particularly, to a digital photographing apparatus capable of performing high-speed continuous shooting and immediately storing data regarding a captured image.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a digital photographing apparatus displays on a display unit a live view image that is a real-time moving image generated from light incident on an image capture device. Thus, a user can see a subject to be photographed and then photograph the subject while viewing the displayed image. After the photographing, a live view image generated from light incident on the image capture device needs to be displayed on the display unit for further photographing.
FIG. 1 is a timing diagram illustrating a data processing process of a conventional digital photographing apparatus. In detail, FIG. 1 is a timing diagram illustrating a process between displaying a live view image on a display unit for a first photographing operation and displaying another live view image on the display unit for a third photographing operation.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional digital photographing apparatus displays a live view image on a display unit in order to perform the first photographing operation after a time t1 (LV). Next, auto-focusing starts from a time t2 in response to a first signal S1 received from a user (AF), and then first data regarding an image generated from light incident on an image capture device is read starting from a time t3 in response to a second signal S2 input by the user or automatically (CAP). After reading the first data, the first data is converted into second data starting from a time t4 (BY). From a time t5, third data corresponding to a low-definition image of an image corresponding to the second data is generated from the second data (RS). Also, if necessary, fourth data corresponding to a further lower definition image of the image corresponding to the second data may be generated (RT) or the second data may be compressed (ENC). After completing data processing, the data regarding the image is recorded on a storage medium (WR).
As further shown, a live view image is displayed on the display unit in order to perform a second photographing operation after completing the first photographing operation (LV′). In the case of a conventional digital photographing apparatus, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a live view image is displayed on the display unit in order to perform the second photographing operation at a time t6, that is, the moment generation of the third data corresponding to the low-definition image of the image corresponding to the second data (RS), which is included in a data processing process of the first photographing operation, is completed (LV′). Then auto-focusing starts from a time t7 in response to a signal S1′ input by the user (AF′), and first data regarding an image generated from light incident on the image capture device is read starting from a time t8 in response to a signal S2′ input by the user or automatically (CAP′). Next, the first data is converted into second data (BY′). Next, third data corresponding to a low-definition image of an image corresponding to the second data is generated (RS′). Next, fourth data corresponding to a further lower definition image of the image that corresponds to the second data is generated (RT′), and the second data is compressed (ENC′). Thereafter, the data regarding the image is recorded on the storage medium (WR′).
After performing the second photographing operation, a live view image is displayed on the display unit in order to perform the third photographing operation (LV″). In the case of the conventional digital photographing apparatus, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a live view image is displayed on the display unit in order to perform the third photographing operation at a time t9, that is, the moment that generation of the third data corresponding to the image corresponding to the second data (RS′), which is included in a data processing process of the second photographing operation, is completed (LV″).
Such a conventional digital photographing apparatus is not capable of performing the second photographing operation between the time t3 when the user begins the first photographing operation and the time t6 when the live view image is displayed on the display unit in order to perform the second photographing operation, for the following reason.
A plurality of photoelectric conversion devices are arranged on the image capture device, and each of the photoelectric conversion devices generates data corresponding to red, green or blue light when the first photographing operation begins in response to a signal input by the user. Thus, first data is obtained. A data conversion unit converts the first data (representing a captured image) generated by the image capture device into second data (representing the captured image), such as YCbCr data, before storing the first data in a storage medium. In order to display a live view image, which is a real-time moving image for performing the second photographing operation, on the display unit, the data conversion unit converts first data (for a live view image) generated from light incident on the image capture device into second data (for the live view image), such as YCbCr data, and then displays the live view image on the display unit. For the second photographing operation, the data conversion unit is needed not only to process the data for the live view image but also to process the data regarding the image captured prior to the processing of the data for the live view image. Thus the live view image cannot be displayed on the display unit until the data conversion unit completes converting the first data representing the captured image into the second data. For this reason, as illustrated in FIG. 1, when the conventional digital photographing apparatus is used, it is impossible to perform the second photographing operation after performing the first photographing operation between the time t3 and the time t6, and the interval between the time t3 and the time t6 is large.